No Silent Rolls to Eddie D Score
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Photo: Benoit Photo
No Silent draws off to victory in the Eddie D Stakes.
Double JH Stable's No Silent has done nothing but improve since breaking a seven-race losing streak in August at Del Mar, and took another step forward Oct. 3 at Santa Anita Park to win the $100,000 Eddie D Stakes (gr. IIIT).
The 6-year-old gelded son of Silent Name stalked the pace, rolled four-wide on the turn, and pulled away steadily under jockey Gary Stevens to claim his first stakes victory by 1 3/4 lengths over hard-closing longshot Melatonin. Toowindytohaulrox was elevated to third with the disqualification of Jimmy Bouncer, who came out and impeded the fourth-place finisher in the stretch.
Two starts back No Silent, a Gary Mandella trainee, ventured into an open claiming race for the first time in his career at Del Mar Aug. 5 and the proverbial light may have turned on. The gelding won that five-furlong turf event by a neck under Flavien Prat, then wheeled back to win an allowance/optional claiming race at the same distance.
"He's really become a subtle, more relaxed horse, and more so than anything, it's been why he has been able to stay so happy and enabled us to build on that and have every race better than the last one." Mandella said.
On Saturday, No Silent raced fourth as Chips All In and favored Midnight Storm dueled through fractions of :21.53 and :43.77, rolling down the Santa Anita downhill turf course. Off at odds of 6-1, No Silent kicked clear at the top of the stretch and hit the wire in 1:13.04 for 6 1/2 furlongs on turf rated firm.
"Today, he broke clean, he got a perfect stalking trip and Gary (Mandella) has just done a good job with him—been very patient," Stevens said. "He has run three great races now off of a long layoff and this horse is just loving his job, and he made my job easy."
The winner paid $15.80, $7, and $4.40 across the board. Melatonin brought $20.80 and $11.80, while Toowindytohaulrox delivered $5.
No Silent now has a bankroll of $389,877 with his third straight victory and holds a 7-8-1 record from 23 career starts. He was bred in Kentucky by Wertheimer et Frere out of the War Chant mare Two Names.
Beyond the disqualified Jimmy Bouncer, who was placed fourth, came Quick and Silver, Midnight Storm, Maltes, Safety Belt, Majestic City, Mr. Sexy, and Chips All In to complete the order of finish.